UPDATE 11AUG2012: MAYDAY! Russia, Canada and the U.S. To Launch Vigilant Eagle Exercise Aimed At Preventing Air Terrorism from US and Russian Command Centers

(Ottawacitizen) – The Russian Federation Air Force and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) will conduct their third cooperative air defence exercise, Aug. 27-29, according to a news release from the joint Canadian-U.S. organization.

The exercise began as an initiative the United States had been pursuing, jointly, with the Russian military to transform their relationship and improve cooperation, NORAD notes.

It was authorized under a cooperative military agreement signed by the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States of America.

The agreement tasked NORAD and the Russian Federation Air Force to conduct a live-fly exercise, dubbed VIGILANT EAGLE.

The annual exercise involves the Russian Air Force, Canadian Forces and U.S. Air Force personnel operating from command centers in Russia and the United States.

More from NORAD’s press release:

The computer-based exercise will consist of simulating two international flights: one originating in Alaska and traveling into Russian airspace followed by one originating in Russia and traveling into the U.S. airspace. The basic premise is that a foreign flagged commercial air carrier on an international flight has been seized by terrorists. The aircraft will not respond to communications. The exercise scenario creates a situation that requires both the Russian Air Force and NORAD to launch or divert fighter aircraft to investigate and follow the aircraft The exercise will focus on the cooperative hand-off of the aircraft between fighter aircraft of the participating nations. These exercises continue to foster the development of cooperation between the Russian Federation Air Force and NORAD in preventing possible threats of air terrorism. Read More